People know the key to the Tampa Bay Lightning winning a Stanley Cup lies with captain Steven Stamkos. As the team’s home grown superstar, he is the top line sniper that teams crave. But it’s the guy playing behind him that is the team’s leading scorer and doesn’t get nearly half the headlines as Stamkos. That player is Tyler Johnson.
Tyler Johnson: Overlooked No Longer
Johnson is the undrafted gem that was considered too small for the big leagues but has made it clear to anyone who pays attention that he belongs in the NHL. With 65 points in 66 games and a staggering +32 playing alongside two other talented youngsters in Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov, they combine to make one of the most offensively gifted lines in the league.
Johnson is one of those players where many question how he managed to fall through the cracks, especially with smaller players getting more chances to succeed. His current 5′ 9″, 182-pound frame (according to NHL.com) may be the main reason, but it’s still mind boggling how many smaller players are ignored despite repeated success. Johnson has managed to win at every level with a World Junior gold medal, a Memorial Cup, a Calder Cup and a Calder Trophy nomination last season.
Johnson is proving be a consistent producer at the pro level and his game on the defensive side of the puck is impressive. The fact he is managing to outscore Stamkos is quite the feat and while he doesn’t face the top checking lines and defence pairings Stamkos does, Johnson’s contributions are nothing to sneeze at.
When Martin St. Louis was traded last year to the New York Rangers, probably a few fans were worried about losing St. Louis’ offense. But the 24-year-old Johnson has more than filled those shoes as he still has more to give. He is in the NHL’s top ten in points while also being the only one who was undrafted – the other nine are all first round picks.
As the Lightning grow towards being a consistent contender, Johnson is one to keep an eye on. It is hard to be in the spotlight with the presence of higher profile players such as Stamkos, Victor Hedman and Ryan Callahan, but Johnson is just as important to this team’s fortunes. His dynamic offensive skill set and work ethic are what make him such a good player and is proof that small guys can play a big game too.
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